It turns out that cigarettes do more than just harm your health. They affect your bottom line too.

For the second time in recent months, a trucking company is in trouble with the law after it s alleged that the firm shipped contraband cigarettes to New York City residents as part of an illegal shipping network.

LaserShip, a Virginia based last mile package delivery service, has been sued by New York City Corporation Counsel Michael A. Cardozo, Health Commissioner Thomas A. Farley, and Finance Commissioner Beth E. Goldman, for its role in the delivery of “untaxed” cigarettes. Shipping and delivering cigarettes that are untaxed is illegal under the federal Contraband Cigarette Trafficking Act (CCTA), the federal Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act (PACT), federal racketeering statutes, and New York state laws.

According to the complaint, LaserShip worked within a broader delivery network that avoided the requirements of the PACT Act. Under the PACT Act, cigarette sellers are required to assure all taxes are paid on the cigarettes shipped to consumers.

The delivery network was broken up by authorities in May 2013 when the city obtained a court injunction against Regional Integrated Logistics, a Buffalo, NY, logistics firm alleged to have been shipping untaxed cigarettes nationwide. The suit claims LaserShip joined the network in 2011 and shipped approximately 75,000 cartons of cigarettes into New York City prior to May 2013.

“All businesses, especially the package delivery industry, must understand the enormous legal penalties they face in doing business with cigarette traffickers. If you engage in these illegal activities, we will take aggressive action,” said Cardozo.

In September, four New York State District Attorneys announced a settlement with R L Carriers for its involvement with shipping illegal cigarettes. The agreement made no admission of guilt on R L s part, but the company did make a $140,000 payment to the American Lung Assn. and the American Cancer Society as part of the agreement, which also called for R L to set up compliance procedures to avoid future violations and an agreement of cooperation from R L with what is a continuing investigation into illegal shipments of cigarettes within the state.

“In addition to putting honest businesses at a competitive disadvantage, LaserShip s actions cost nearly $4.4 million to the state and city in foregone cigarette tax revenue used to fund vital services,” said Goldman.

Federal law provides for penalties of up to $5,000 per violation for violations of the PACT Act or the CCTA, as well as treble (or triple) damages under federal racketeering statutes, which classifies cigarette trafficking as a “racketeering” offense. New York state law provides for a maximum penalty of $5,000 per delivery or $100 per pack of cigarettes delivered to a consumer, whichever is greater.

The city s lawsuit also invokes Public Health Law 1399 ll, which prohibits carriers from delivering cigarettes to consumers.

What these two cases say, however, is that trucking companies must have some awareness of what is being shipped. R L admitted no wrongdoing in its settlement and LaserShip alleged involvement is now in the courts, so it s difficult to say whether either company knowingly broke the law or not. Regardless, it is clear that, at least in New York State, violations of this kind are going to be pursued and prosecuted if necessary.

Carriers, then, could become unknowing accomplices and could face fines, criminal prosecution and a severe hit to their reputation if they are caught hauling illegal goods. And the old adage, “what you don t know won t hurt you,” does not apply in this case. Carriers must be aware of what they are hauling and build relationships with shippers to ensure that what is said to be loaded in their trailers are really what is being loaded.

If not, the authorities may be close behind.

What is the difference between a cigar and a cigarette?

Cigarettes online Blog Archive Dealing with an innovative industry: a look at flavored cigarettes promoted by mainstream brands
anon977966
Post 21

I have yet to see the article that describes how filters are far worse because they contain slivers of fiberglass. The fiberglass cuts your lips and lungs, which allows more nicotine, tar, and whatever other chemicals into the bloodstream. The filters are probably what cause all the cancers anyway and not the tobacco.

Maybe I’m just trying to justify my like of cigars, but everyone here has been right I don’t have to stop in the middle of a movie to go out for a smoke. I don’t have to take a break every two hours for a cigar. I just smoke one whenever I’d like to smell the aroma. Also, that crap about cancer possibly taking root wherever the smoke touches in the mouth is ridiculous. That would mean that if you stand around smoke you could get eye cancer, skin cancer, or something else. This is a very strange article. brownpeter
Post 20

Cigar smoking is mostly viewed as classier than cigarette smoking. Cigarettes are very simple to smoke. The big difference is that while you are going to smoke a cigar, the smoke is not inhaled. anon334949
Post 18

Another very important difference between cigarettes and cigars is that cigarettes are smoked out of habit and for the nicotine dose. (Which in itself, in these quantities is not dangerous, rather a stimulant much like caffeine). Cigars, on the other hand, are made for the enjoyment of flavors, much like you’d enjoy a great wine, a good beer or a fantastic meal. Your lungs do not contain taste buds, so cigar smoke is not to be inhaled.

Not saying that cigar smoking is therefore safe to do. There is still the secondhand smoke you ‘breathe’ with chances of oral cancers. But a cigar, rather than the cigarette, screams for pleasure and relaxation. anon304390
Post 16

Who was it up there who included pot smoking as dangerous? What’s that all about? No one ever died from pot or LSD. It’s historical and medically proved. These two items have never killed anyone.

Now if someone is mixing in alcohol or other known killer drugs with them then sure those additional items can kill. But pot? even LSD (used by our military for over 15 years on our military as a possible truth serum until they settled on another chemical. Then they made LSD illegal! anon268692
Post 15

I actually ended up here by way of looking for more info on Djarum’s clove cigars, and the differences between them and the clove cigarettes they have replaced. And yes, the old 20 packs were cigarettes (I have old packaging around). I know that I don’t like the cigars as well, but I have yet to find much data.

As I recall, some law in the US banned most “flavored” cigarettes, and that’s when Djarum started producing the smaller packs of cigars. Of course, this has me wishing Sampoerna had done likewise with their Extras, but such is life. anon263485
Post 14

Why are cigars so much smoother than a single cigarette? anon253837
Post 13

I like anon’s explanation better. This article reads like an ad that could be from Altria on why cigarettes are better than cigars. Hey! I hear Coca Cola and Pepsi are fixing their cancer causing ingredients. I wonder if the cigarette companies will follow suit. anon175618
Post 12

I have been trying to research when clove cigars such as Djarum pack were decreased in size by eight, but the price did not change? I quit smoking them for awhile, I think in 2007 and when I started again, the packs were smaller but the price was the same. No warning or anything, and I can’t find any reason why. But recently, I discovered they are $2.00 cheaper in a cigar store than anywhere else. Can anyone direct me? I keep running into Malware and blocked site warnings (thanks to chrome) Thanks! anon149548
Post 11

I smoke three to eight cigars a month. A single cigar often contains more tobacco then one or even two entire packs of cigs. That means up to 40 times the nicotine in a single smoke. The question then arises If nicotine is so addictive, why is it that you don’t see many cigar smokers standing out in the rain with the cigarette smokers? The answers are straight ahead.

1. Cigarettes have additives that amplify the addictive quality of the cig by 10 to 100 times. Cigars have a little bit of vegetable gum or maybe oils (one dark maduro I smoke is misted with red wine to darken the leaf.) and that’s it.

2. Cigar tobacco plants are usually broadleaf or something similar, while cigarette tobacco is usually from the buckley family. Two completely different species, even as to percentages of proteins versus carbs, amount of cellulose, etc. (U of K ag research) There are 4.5 sub leased acres here on my horse farm for cigarette tobacco. I plant 600 or so plants of broadleaf cigar tobacco each year as a hobby. Believe me, there is no possible way to mistake one for the other.

It’s like comparing potatoes and yams. Both are in the same family, both grow as tubers, etc., but by lumping the two together because they are in the same family, we assume they are the same.

Therefore, we should, by simple proxy of logic, be required to put the same health warnings on tomatoes, which are barely removed from tobacco.

My doctor terms me to be a non smoker, so different are the cigars from cigarettes. She also referred me to an OSHA report that you gain far more of the harmful chemicals found in cigarettes by spending three to five minutes on a street corner next to rush hour traffic in any major metro area, especially with buses and trucks. I have no addiction. Do I get the high? You betcha? Do I have to smoke. Not at all.

Is it dangerous? Probably. But so is hard liquor. So is pot. But I’m an adult. And it’s my choice. view entire post anon137612
Post 10

how many mg of nicotine in a hand rolled cigarette compared to a cigarette? if there is any. why is it not stated on the outer package of the hand rolled cigarette? anon96450
Post 9

How about the fact that cigarettes are loaded with extra chemicals, additives, etc to keep them together. The only thing extra in a cigar is the vegetable glue that is used to secure the wrapper to the filler.

Cigarettes are more dangerous to one’s health not based on nicotine or tobacco, but due to all the extra crap they dump into cigarettes that they do not with cigars. anon83023
Post 8

so cigars are more habit forming? that’s weird. i just smoke them in celebration of accomplishments and cigs are a habit forming material that can become a lifestyle. God Bless everyone who reads this.

anon49590
Post 7

i inhale when i smoke cigars so they’re less safe then a cigarette and anyway i use all forms of tobacco, so i smoke them just to get nicotine. anon34273
Post 4

Are you kidding me? Their is no way cigars are more healthier than cigs. Mainly because you do not inhale them. anon31865
Post 3

Cigars sound more dangerous than cigs. Funny, since very few people inhale cigars (since they are more potent puffing is sufficient, and it is too acrid for inhaling). Also, they are far less habit forming than cigs (because of cost, time involved, and the longer time to get an effect).